Instrument-board panel and lighting construction



y 21, 1929- M. E. CHENEY 1,713,996

INSTRUMENT BOARD PANEL AND LIGHTING CONSTRUCTION Filed July 21, 1928 Patented May 21, 1929.

} 1,713,996 PATENT OFFICE.

' UNITED STATES MOSES E. CHENEY, OF LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T NATIONAL GAUGE &

EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OE DELA- WARE.

INSTRUMENT-BOARD PANEL AND LIGHTING CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed July 21,

This invention relates to improvements in electric light sockets for instrument board panels and lighting constructions and more particularly those adapted for use on motor cars.

The main feature is a light socket that can readily be applied to the modern instrument board and when so applied will be dust proof and incapable of being jarred loose during the travel of the motor vehicle. Furthermore, the construction is such that the light'socket is suitable for attachment to a panel having the commonly used shield for indirect lighting, and the shield is integrally formed from the base panel,co-operating with the light socket to form a very satisfactory and eflicient attachment and one; that reduces the cost of construction besides dispensing with any projecting parts on the front of the panel In this improved construction it is only necessary to notch one part of the rim of the light opening to be found in the standard panel of the modern motor car to make the panel suitable for this improved light socket.

Other objects and advantages will be in part indicated in the following description and in part rendered apparent therefrom in connection with the annexed drawings.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to apprehend the underlying features hereof that they may embody the same in the various ways contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred typical construction have been annexed as a part of this disclosure and, in such drawings, like characters of reference denote corresponding parts through all the views, of which In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of the instrument panel. Fig. 2 is a detail vie-w of the light bulb socket, parts being shown in section; Fig. 3 is a sectional View of part of the panel showing the shield; Fig. 4 is a front View of a portion of the panel. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail views of the light socket and Fig. 8 is a detail of the gasket for the socket.

There is preferably shown the bulb 1 secured to a stem 2 and this stem fits within the light socket housing 3' and is secured thereto by the bayonet joint 4:. This housing 3 is preferably formed with two integrally formed fingers 5 projecting from the -with said notch or recess.

1928. Serial No. 294,521.

of the light shield 8 and the fingers are formed so as to be able to spring outwardly when the light socket has been forced against the panel and these prongs 7 cooperate with the free edge of the rim of the shield to form stops which hold the socket in place, requiring a tilting of the socket to bring about the disengagement from the shield as hereinafter explained.

The panel base is 9 and the light opening hasa rim 10 and an upturned flange extends substantially half Way around the rim, this flange constituting the usual light shield 8 employed on'the modern panel board for motor cars. This shield is preferably formed integrally with the base which makes an inexpensive and strong construction suitable to cooperate with the spring pressed locking fingers heretofore referred to. A notch or recess 13 is formed in the rim of the opening 10 which is preferably rectangular in shape and of a size suflicient to form means for positioning the light and when so posi-' tioned the hook 6 will drop into engagement A compressible member '14, (see Figs. 7 and 8) which may be a cork gasket, is placed over the spring arms'5 and the hook clip 6 is adapted to fit over said member 14, where.

by said member will lie between the socket and panel when the parts are assembled into position.

It will now be apparent that in order to apply this light socket to the panel it will only be necessary to position the parts so that the hook shaped clip 6 will drop into engagement with the notch 13 and then the ends of the spring arms can be pressed inwardly so that they will enter the light opening and when the socket has been inserted to the limit of its movement the fingers 7 will spring outwardly thereby binding against the outer rim of the flange 8 and the compressible member 14 will be firmly clamped between the socket and panel. This construction, it will be seen,

- forms a dust proof member for protecting the inside of the panel instrument from dust and also preventing the parts from becoming loosened byjars incident to the travel of the motor car.

In order to disengage the light socket from the panel, it is only necessary to tilt the socket on its clip 6, as a hinge joint, thereby forcing the fingers inwardly and releasing the stops 7 .from engagement with the rim of the shield 8.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various utilizations by retaining one or more of the features that, from the standpointof the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of either the generic or speci'fit aspects of this invention, and therefore. such adaptations should be, and are intended to be, comprehended withinthe meaning and range of equivalency of the followingclaiins.

Having thus revealed this invention, I claim as new and desire to secure the following combinations and elements, or equivalents thereof, by Letters Patent of United States 1. In an instrument panel board and lighting construction the combination of a panel with an integral flange forming a light shield; a compressible 1nembcr;'and a unitary light socket with prongs extending therefrom the prongs being capable of fitting against the inner surface of the shield and thereby causing the compression of the compressible member.

2. In a device of the character specifiedthe combination of a panel having instrument openings and light openings; a shield pros jecting from the light opening; a light socket with looking devices 7, adapted to project within said light opening; and a compresi sible gasket between said socket and said panel, the locking devices being adapted to spring and t ereby compress the gasket.

3. In a device of the character specified the combination of a panel with a light opening; a flange projecting from the panel to form a shield extending partially around into locking position with the shield looking members comprising a part to en gage with said seat and with said shield whereby the socket can be applied directly to the panel and can be tilted omsaid seat for the purpose of disconnecting said socket from the panel.

5. In a device of the character specified, a panel with light openings; a shield about an opening extending partially around same; a light socket having spring arms and a hook shaped clip; said panel being formed with a seatadjacent said shield; said arms being formed with curved ends whereby the arms can be pressed into said light opening by positioning the hook and seattogether and the curved ends will thereafter be sprung into engagement with the rim of the shield.

6. In a device of the character specified, a panel with light openings; a shield about an opening extending partially around same; a light socket having spring arms and a hook shaped clip; said panel being formed with a seat adjacent said shield; said arms being I formed with curved ends; and a compressible member projecting from said socket an d eapable of being clamped against thepanel when said hook and seat are brought into engagement and said curved ends brought into contact with the rim of the shield.

7 In a device of the character described, the combination of a panel having a light opening therein, with a light socket having arms inclined towards its center and capable of entering said opening, means for positioning said socket on said panel whereby said arms can be sprung into said opening; and means for securely holding said arms against outward movement.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name. v

' MOSES E. CHENEY. 

